Stirrings of the Blood
by wisperin9 shad0s
Summary: Hisoka questions Illumi's unwavering loyalty to his parents, opening for him horizons that he's never seen before. Hisoka x Illumi (inspired by 'Questions')
1. Turnaround

**Disclaimers:** Illumi, Hisoka and Alluka do not belong to me. They belong to Yoshihiro Togashi, the original author, and various companies that bought the copyrights, Shounen Jump Weekly, Shueisha and Nippon Animation.  
**Notes:** Office work can be so boring. I sit here and mentally explore the possibility of Illumi disobeying his parents, laying the blame on - who else? - Hisoka. Who else but a Henka type could so effectively uproot in a night steadfast training since the age of 3? I'll try to keep everyone as in-character as possible; however, there are no guarantees. Well, that said... Enjoy! =)  
  
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**Stirrings of the Blood  
****Chapter 1, Turnaround**  
  
The surroundings would have been tranquil, if not for the events that would take place there. Landing softly like a cat, Illumi took note of where his person is. Woods shrouded him in darkness, save for the shattered bits of moonlight that managed to seep through the trees. He stands in front of a rather plain wooden cabin. Quietly opening the door, he steps through quickly to the bedroom where he knew his brother lay.  
  
Innocently, his albino sibling sleeps. On his side, the child is curled into his blanket like a caterpiller curled into its cocoon. Silver light from outside shone between the curtains onto the hardwood floor, giving an eerie feel. Pins appear out of nowhere to Illumi's hand. _I'm sorry, Alluka. I've got no choice - you have to die, now._ Just when he flicks his wrist for the attack, a card deflected the pin in midair, landing both objects into the far wall.  
  
A magician unveiled himself from thin air, mocking the pale assassin. They stared at each other, unflinching. In his jester's uniform, he stood up from where he sat on the floor, running one hand through to straighten toughly gelled red hair. "Illumi, Illumi, Illumi... Now what did you have to do that for?" Moonlight makes the assassin seem even paler than he is, Hisoka noted.  
  
"I was given an order - I'm here to execute it."  
  
"Tsk, tsk. You were ordered to kill your beloved brother and you just do it?"  
  
"None of your business, really. I remember telling you not to stop me." The long haired pale assassin narrowed his usually-wide eyes. Playing with a Joker card, the jester merely smirked.  
  
"Why should I listen to you? Think of who you're dealing with here, Zaoldyeck. I scour the world for challenging opponents; why shouldn't you be one of them? Anyway, if you kill Allu, you'd regret it."  
  
"What's there to regret?" Illumi knew it was a lie. Alluka, aside from Killua, is his favorite sibling. To his other siblings, he's simply someone to be feared; to Alluka, he's actually a normal brother, someone who would take care of him. To only Alluka is Illumi human. Hisoka, the red haired magician, observed the assassin in silence. Illumi is usually coldly expressionless; at this moment, his brows are knitted together as if deep in thought. He knows that he's basically lost the battle.  
  
Hisoka flicks various cards between his two hands, grinning. "You've been trained to do this - and you do it well; however, if I hadn't stopped you, another piece of you would die."  
  
"That almost implies that you care." The clown shrugs. By now, Alluka is completely awake from their little debate. Turning onto his back, he stares at the ceiling for a second, then looks up at the two.  
  
"Aniki?" The elder brother looks at the younger first in confusion, then walks to sit down on the bed. He strokes the boy's starkly white hair. Alluka's eyes are innocent, staring widely at Illumi. "You came back."  
  
"Yes, Allu, aniki came back. Aniki will get you somewhere safe." The assassin right then makes a decision. His younger brother has not gone through the assassin training that their father, Silva Zaoldyeck, puts each of his offspring through - just yet. Illumi silently swears to make sure that his brother would be allowed to live a normal, relatively carefree life. He would not have to suffer the torture, 'emotional training' and the 'immunity development' that took away everything that Illumi himself had. The world does not need another cold blooded murderer.  
  
"I will always be safe with you, aniki." Little does the child know.  
  
**A/U:** How do you like so far? Are they out of character at all? Thanks for reading!


	2. Planning the Unexpected

**Disclaimer: **All characters of Hunter x Hunter belong to Togashi Yoshihiro; I'm only borrowing them for entertainment.  
**A/N:** Chapter 2! Thanks for the reviews, be they praise or flames. There's probably a lot of confusion on the part of Illumi... What's happening? =) It occurs to me that I want this to be more so action than anything romantic, which is why in terms of genres, I didn't put 'Romance'. Other characters may come in, slowly.  
Cassavar: You're right; my grammar - especially the switching between tenses, needs work. Otherwise, any 'plagiarism' is not intended.  
Rusco: Thanks - glad you enjoyed it!  
Please enjoy!

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**Chapter 2: Planning the Unexpected**

Silva Zaoldyeck signs the last of his paperwork for the day and looks up. His wife is in front of him, the beautiful Kikyou. Despite her beauty, her temper is fearsome - to say the least. And right now, she looks somewhat unhappy, a worried scowl on her face. "What is it, dear?"  
  
She shifts her weight restlessly, wringing her hands. "Illumi hasn't come back yet. I believe you gave him a very simple assignment. It shouldn't be a challenge at all - yet it has been three days." Her husband stares at her expectantly, waiting for more. When none came, he stands up and walks toward her, his firm steps ringing loudly on the stone floor. He takes her hands in his.  
  
"I wouldn't worry, if were you. We've trained Illumi ourselves - by now he's bendable to our wills, and ours alone. He'll be back soon enough. There's no reason for him to be hindered in any way."  
  
"That's why I'm worried. He's never resisted us, so I'm wary when he didn't return yesterday or this morning. The assignment we've given him is different from the others. Alluka is not someone he doesn't know or care about; in fact, had the child not been defective, we would have assigned Illumi to be the one to train him. I have a bad feeling about this."  
  
"He knows the consequences, should he disobey."

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A wooden door shut quietly. The pale hand leaves the door knob, falling back to the side of the assassin. Hisoka eyes him with a smirk, suppressing actions that may be unwise. The mental urges are strong enough to be somewhat hard to control. They head toward the livingroom, where their steps are muffled by the carpet. The jester settles on the couch, letting his weight sag into it. Illumi stands with his back to him, almost idly staring out the glass panes toward the woods. Dawn is approaching; it will be there in a few hours. His thoughts are back with the boy in his bedroom, his brother, victim, saved. Such emotional conflict is infinitely foreign to him. Is he really so easily swayed? Is his will so weak? Once again, he inquires, "Why did you interfere?"  
  
"I don't want you to regret anything - I'm the closest thing to a friend you have." Sadly, it is true, but inevitable. Such is an assassin's life, where one can only trust a few, if any at all. Illumi looks at the strange man before him speculatively. His words imply that he cares for the stoic raven haired one. But why? He doesn't understand.  
  
"How should it be any of your business whether I have any regrets or no? How would you benefit from 'caring' for me?" Hisoka's grin grows wider. The other irritably glares at him, wanting to smack it off his face. He prepares himself to attack the other man.  
  
Their actions swiftly cut through the air. Illumi's needles fly, but are caught by the magician on the couch, who in turn releases cards. The assassin dodges - they don't come near him. A split second before Illumi lunges at him, he flips forward onto the carpet. The long haired, slender man turns and they exchange blows. Within less than a minute, all is silent once again, save for their lightly panting breaths. "Answer my question."  
  
With that, the jester hops up off the floor, ignoring his left broken arm from the momentary death grip just seconds ago. He walks over to where the pale effeminate man fell, coming closer step by step. The latter tries to back away, but can not - due to the acquired injured ribs and broken ankle. Smiling evilly at Illumi's futile attempts to get up, the magician leans in on fours, finally closing in to steal a tender kiss from the man under him.  
  
Because of one broken arm, the contact was for no more than fifteen seconds. Yet within that short span, there is enough warmth and electricity tingling through Illumi to last him a lifetime. The magician's lips are surprisingly sweet. Hisoka lets himself fall and lands sideways on his good arm, next to a shocked Zaoldyeck. He relishes in the other's reaction. Wanting more, being the aphrodisiac that he is, he reached for the other's belt -  
  
Only to be met with a harsh punch to the face. Illumi scurries away quickly, slamming the door.

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**A/N: **Ah, there's that. Chapter 2,.. Did you enjoy it? Please review =) Updates are going to be random. I am, after all, preparing for college. (Eep!) I'm trying to put Nen in here somehow, but the concept's a bit sketchy. However, since there's going to be fighting, I don't really have an option? I'll figure it out.


	3. Give Me Nothing

**Disclaimer:** Hunter x Hunter belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro.  
**A/N:** The reason for which this one's longer than the other two is basically that I hadn't thought about how to place the chapters while I'm writing the fic - I just write. Kikyou is somewhat of a flat character, though that may change. There is some out-of-character-ness here on probably Hisoka's part. This concludes the thwarted attempt on Alluka's life; so what happens now? Stay tuned .. Have fun!

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**Chapter 3: Give Me Nothing**

The slender assassin is bracing his back against the rough wood of the door, his heart drumming rapidly in his chest. Hisoka had reached for his _belt_ - no man would in an ordinary situation kiss another man and then just...

Damn that hedonist. He reminds himself that the magician is certainly not an ordinary human being; this is also not an ordinary situation. Supposedly, he would have just killed Alluka and be done with it. Yet the man had to stand in his way, tossing out words that stirred feelings of guilt. Illumi's elders of the Zaoldyecks had trained him to be mostly emotionless, to be able to end lives without batting an eyelash - but those were people he did not know. Alluka's his youngest brother, a kid his parents had him take care of ever since he was born. There is a difference, right?

The thought leads him to the question of what to do now. If he were to really save Alluka, he can not go home, back to his stone cold room in the Zaoldyeck mansion. No, the albino child would have to be taken away - to where? He does not know yet. And to what extent would Hisoka be involved in this? Illumi flushes again, thinking of the muscular man he had just fought against. He still didn't understand why the man demanded that Alluka be kept alive. What's with killing each other and then suddenly kissing him?

Pain shoots up his right side, sharply. With all the confusion, he had momentarily forgotten about his broken ankle and ribs. Running away when Hisoka was - he shudders at the thought - trying to _undress _him was more so instinct or reflex. Using one hand on the doorknob, he lowers himself to sit on the ground, staring straight in front of him at the plain room. The wood floorboards creak. He cringes as he bends forward to touch the broken ankle with his hands. Within a few moments, skilled fingers reconnects the broken parts of the bone, and the tendons straighten out. He applies the same pressure to his ribs, willing them to fix themselves. Sharp pain eases to a dull ache. He will have to think everything else through later - for now, he needs some shut eye. Making sure the door behind him is locked, he drifts himself to sleep on the wooden floor. For someone with a lifestyle like his, physical comforts aren't really needed.

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The noises cease. Alluka assumes that the soft bangs and thumps in the other room is because of a conflict between big brother and the other adult. That adult is strange. He seems to smile strangely a lot and want to play all the time, particularly with his cards. He's always dressed in some kind of clown suit, shoes with the toes turning up and all. Alluka is glad they stopped, but now the silence is deafening and he can't sleep. Insomnia usually follows whenever he slept too much in the day time. Oh well. He would have loved to go out into the woods and play, maybe catch an animal here and there, but Illumi told him to stay put, inside the boring cabin. Having had nothing to do, he slept.

Big brother never explained why they are here, but he didn't question - Illumi has taken care of him since he was very young. He trusts big brother. He wonders whether that has anything to do with the argument that man called Hisoka was having with brother.

Speaking of the devil, the red haired jester softly comes in through the door and clicks it shut. The two males gaze at each other uncertainly. "Where is big brother?" The elder jerks a thumb towards the door to indicate the other room. The kid relents, albeit unwillingly - satisfied that big brother is around still. Silence falls. He does not fear for Illumi, because Illumi's invincible to his childish mind.

Hisoka approaches the bed. "Want to see some magic tricks?" He's surprised at himself, really. Usually, having something akin to a moral compass is uncharacteristic of him. However, in the past two days when Illumi takes on another assignment, then reports back to the Zaoldyecks, which leaves him no time to look after the child, he enlists the jester. Since meeting each other by coincidence some years ago - when Illumi's task clashed with the whims of the clown, they have been using each other for company and tiny favors. Anything more would require payment. His thoughts return to the child in front of him in a few seconds, when Alluka nods. Hisoka smiles lightly. A deck of playing cards appears in his hands; he spreads it out between two hands. "Pick a card. Any card..."

The antics continue only until Alluka falls asleep. Hisoka strays off to the side of the room, admiring the moon north west of the sky. His expression is serene, thoughtful. The child's deep breathing is soothing, somehow. Truth is, in the past two days, he's come to like the kid, enough that he doesn't want him killed, much less by his own brother - and that surprises him. He's been dubbed 'psycho', because there were times when he just killed, almost seemingly for the heck of it. Compassion is the last thing he expects from himself. He's also getting uncharacteristically attached to Illumi, as well - maybe because the other may be the only one in the living world who comes close to understanding him. And he's pretty sure that should the other obey this set of orders, from controlling elder Zaoldyecks, he will regret it. Illumi does have something of a conscience, hidden behind deadpan eyes, though it's been smothered enough that he no longer knows it. Perhaps he no longer cares, letting himself be ripped to shreds by circumstances. He just needs an ally, that's all.

It's not like him to be this pensive, or sentimental. He is tired, after all. Hisoka's resting place will be the roof, tonight. Let the goddess Artemis accompany him for a few hours.

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Footsteps thump a bit louder. The red haired man turns to his side for a better position - and finds air. Not awake enough to stop himself and gain a reasonable footing, Hisoka's eyes bulge as he rolls off the roof. Usually, he can land on his feet fairly well - but those times are when he's fully awake.

Morning air is always refreshing. Illumi sucks in a deep breath as he listens to the forest itself nudging the animals awake. Birds chirp here and there; the sky is a deep azure, without a cloud in sight. Good, he thinks. No sign of rain for today. Suddenly something drops heavily; Illumi braces himself and catches the oddly colored bundle. - It's a bird! No, it's a plane! No, it's... Hisoka?

"Oomph! ... What were you doing up there?" He looks down at the magician in his arms.

"Illumi! hearts hugs tighter My, what muscles you have, to be able to carry me like this?!"

"I said, what were you doing up there?"

"Oh. Yesterday night, after we fought, you banged the door shut so I soothed Alluka to sleep and then slept up here." The pale assassin let the man down onto his feet, his questioning completed. He turns to head back into the structure. "Illu, where are you going?"

"Back in. We're leaving shortly - you might want to grab a bite before we head out."

"Where're we going?"

"Mayhem Heights." With that, Illumi heads in to rouse the young boy, whereas the clown goes for a shower. That's always a good idea after sleeping on a tiled roof for a night.

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Her husband covers his ears in a futile attempt to drown out her shrieks and high pitched yells of outrage. Their son had not come back after four nights; isn't he worried?! "My poor baby! What could have happened to him?! He was supposed to have killed his brother and returned days ago! He can't be rebelling, can he? He wouldn't do that to me!" ... Silva, head of the Zaoldyeck household, sighs.

"Kikyou, please be reasonable. Nothing can harm our son; he's the fourth most efficient killer on the planet next to father, you and me. He's probably just taking his time, that's all."

"He shouldn't be!" He watches and turns away, as she starts another tangent about how Illumi was always a very responsible child, how he never broke any rules, was very efficient and obedient, that this shouldn't be happening... Then he just loses track. It's no wonder his wife is famous for these tantrums; anybody within twenty meters is bound to get a lasting migraine. He can't stand it any longer.

"Shut up!" he yells irritably. Silence suddenly hangs in the air, so still that they can hear the other's breathing. He sighs. "I'll tell Milluki to give him a call. Your incessant worrying won't do anyone much good. For now,... Please go back to the chambers, dear." She wipes her eyes with a sleeve, picks up her dress and hurries back to another room of the Zaoldyeck mansion.

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**A/N:** Tada, Chapter 3. Thanks for reading! Please review. I'll be trying to upload what I have so far as fast as possible. Alluka's point of view may be a bit strange - as I know he's younger than a preteen, but haven't thought about exactly how old he should be. Probably somewhere around 6 - 12? Around 9, most likely.


	4. Smoky Water

**Disclaimer:** Hunter x Hunter is not mine, it is Togashi Yoshihiro's.  
**A/N:** So not all goes as planned for Hisoka, Illumi and Alluka. Such is the way of life... What will be in store for them? Part of the reason some of these takes so long to update is because I hand-write on paper before typing everything up. Maybe I shouldn't do that, apologies. Thanks for the reviews! I'm very flattered. I like to respond to people.  
Rusco: Heh,.. sorries. It's true that sometimes I tend to switch POV's very quickly, like I'm jumping from mind to mind. Thanks for pointing that out! I'll try to make it less confusing.  
ally: Yes, slashes indeed! I suppose part of the appeal of slash is that when an author puts two people together that were not together in the anime, the interaction varies based upon the author's experiences.  
Relinquished: Yes, you inspired someone! I'm very glad you weren't offended that I 'borrowed' ideas. I suppose I could have asked first, but then again... email addresses are surprisingly hard to find.

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Chapter 4: Smoky Water**

The train toils lazily on its tracks, unwilling to stop or go on. A languid hand carefully places another card on the fragile house that is already made of a fourth of the deck. His mind reaches back about four days ago, before their departure. _flashback_  
  
"Milluki has many tracking devices on the electronics we use. It's easier that way for father to keep an eye on us." Illumi quietly took apart the pieces of his cell phone, checking for the tiny device he was talking about. He shifted in place, behind the wooden table. Hisoka raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Why go through all the trouble? Just throw away the cursed thing. We already assume that your accounts will be closed, so we can transfer about half the money to mine, or if not, just use my money." Illumi shook his head, thoughtfully disagreeing. His dark hair shone in the natural light.  
  
"I hate owing people." Darkness cloaked him, save a mere flicker of candlelight.  
  
"You _are_ the main fugitive. You and that boy," Hisoka noted where Alluka looked up from the wooden bench. It was true. The young one's life was at stake; for demon's sake, his own family had been sent to kill him, though seemingly harmless he is. Illumi sighed, watching the electronic bits crack beneath his fist. Hisoka lit a match and threw it on the log in the fireplace behind him. - The other man got up and cremated what's left of the cell phone. "By the way, tomorrow I lead you somewhere for fake id's."  
  
Another raised eyebrow. "How much of this have you planned out?"  
  
A crimson wry smile. "Anything to get you away, dear." A glare from Illumi. The response was a faded, resigned grin. "Just kidding. Making this up as I go. It's also that I've got useful contacts, whereas you are sheltered."

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Downtown Yorkshin bustled merrily. People walk about, mindless of the few, the three among them who at the moment gamble on their pasts. "In here." They were in normal dress today, in order not to attract attention. Granted, to the two men, suits don't feel like normal dress. Illumi's black hair was tied back in a curt ponytail at the base of his skull; Hisoka's hair was not gelled up, for once obeying the laws of gravity. Even though the purpose was not to attract attention, feminine eyes glanced and quickly looked away from two gorgeous bishounen. They walked down the staircase to the underground room. The gruff receptionist looked and asked for names. "Don't you remember me? I'm insulted."  
  
"Oh, Hisoka! Didn't recognize you in that get up. What's the occasion??"  
  
"None of your business. We need fake id's."  
  
"All right. Let me call for you. - Sonny? Yea, Hisoka's here... Right. - Would you gentlemen pass through the door to your right and have a seat? He'll be with you in a moment. Thanks." A practiced smile was given, and they walked through the door as instructed.  
  
Within the next two hours, pictures were taken, names were chosen, occupations renamed and pass rewritten with a few strokes of the keyboard. Everything's only data; lives could be broken down and remodeled this way.  
  
Two hours later, things were packed, tickets were bought and they spent the rest of the three days erasing with nen all traces of their stay before taking flight. _end flashback_  
  
At the moment, Illumi is sleeping peacefully beside him, Alluka wrapped safely in his arms, also asleep. It was just so cute. Even cuter than Gon and Killua... Hm, he hasn't seen them in a while. Hisoka contemplates their next possible meeting, licking his lips in anticipation at the prospect of fighting Gon. Then, the boy's nen was barely developed. He wonders how powerful the boy must be, by now. His thoughts are interrupted when Alluka, the pale child, stirred. He wriggles out of Illumi's arms. "Bathroom." His brother nods, letting him go. Looking for another source of body heat, his eyes rest on Hisoka.  
  
"Hm, Illu?" The sleepy man grabs Hisoka's arm, cuddling close. He's ready to fall back asleep again. They sway a bit due to the weight; Hisoka's hand misses and the five storied house of cards fall over. He strokes the man's cheek, reaching under the light blue hood. His cheeks flush... His ally's already comfortably asleep again, with him as a life sized plushy. The cards will have to be picked up later. Like they matter at the moment.  
  
All tranquility ends suddenly, as a blast rocks the train of the car. Both men are alert immediately. Other passengers shout in alarm, desperately trying to use the emergency exit windows. A message comes over the loud speaker. "Please remain calm. We are only suffering some technical difficulties. Please remain calm." Nobody believes that skeptical voice, and there are more people jumping out of windows. Another blast rips through the car in front of them - tearing open a part of the vehicle they are in.  
  
"Where's Alluka?!" This is the first time Hisoka's ever seen Illumi in a panic.  
  
"You let him go to the bathroom."  
  
"Which direction?!" Hisoka points behind them; they both take off, yelling the boy's name. They frantically search the train, still unable to find Alluka. People are still leaping out of windows - Hisoka's eyes widen.  
  
"Illu, the bridge ahead was bombed! We have to get off, now!"  
  
"No, we have to find Alluka!" Ignoring the protests, the stronger man grabs the other, pulls open a window and takes a flying leap of faith toward river water. Various other passengers are struggling as well, some already walking out of the water. Hisoka lets go of Illumi, letting him breathe. Unfortunately, he can't swim that well - then he's grateful to know that Illumi can, and is guiding them toward shore. Like two wet pigeons, they stand tiredly, trying to dry off. Illumi watches as Hisoka removes his black collared shirt, forgetting at the moment that he should do the same. Off in the distance, two cars of the train hang off the bridge, Hisoka notes. In a few seconds, there's an explosion, and whatever debris is left of it falls over, almost crushing some who are still chest deep in liquid. Hisoka distractedly relieves himself of his belt. Illumi blinks in mild fascination of his muscles; it's clear that the man is an avid weight lifter. Said man sweeps back his damp red hair. "I'm sorry about Alluka."  
  
His attention snaps back to the matter at hand, at the mention of his brother's name. "Why didn't you let me get Allu before having us jump off the bridge?" Dark eyes flare dangerously. "If something happens to him, you're going to die. You really shouldn't have thrown us into the water like that."  
  
"If I didn't, we would be much more injured than we are. There was a second explosion after we got to shore."  
  
"What if he was still on the car when it exploded?"  
  
"We looked for him. There was no one."  
  
"Fine,.. whatever. I'm going to go look for Alluka." With that, Illumi jumps back into the water, leaving Hisoka to wait for him on the grassy bank. Smoke now billows where the two cars of the train fell over, clouding an otherwise cheerful sky. The news press is on this already, as several helicopters swoop low over the runs of a once grand bridge, allowing professionals to report the incident already. Hisoka sits down, stretching himself out on the green. Someone taps him on the shoulder.  
  
He looks backward into amber eyes and careless auburn hair. "Hello, I'm Nathan John, a reporter for the local station of Rikka. May I have a word? You were a passenger on that train before it crashed and burned, yes? What do you think of the situation? Who could have done it? Oh, and what's your name?"  
  
Hisoka inwardly sighs. He's in no mood to deal with peppy media dogs. He complies, hoping the young man in shirt and slacks would go away quickly if he does. "Yea, I was a passenger. My name's,.. um, Fred. I think they should fix it as quickly as possible, get the FBI, CIA, whatever to track down whoever bombed it, - and I want compensation for my ride. Now, I have to go." The man watches him left Illumi out of the water, then the two walk away.  
  
"So here we are, Nathan John, reporting live for RNN, Rikka News Network. Thank you, back to Melissa." 

"What was that about?"  
  
"Some pesky reporter. I said I was Fred. Without the hairdo and face paint, I shouldn't be so easy to recognize. Did you find Alluka?" Hisoka notes that the boy is not with them.  
  
"No. He can swim though, so he can't have drowned. This means we have to scour the city for the next few days. Hm, Fred.. _Such _a creative name. By the way, you have your wallet and everything? You know I have no money. - If you lose anything, things can get difficult. We won't even be able to buy clothes to change into. Think of it, us - two of the most dangerous men around - resorting to petty theft. I won't have it."  
  
"Yea, I have everything. The name was quick; that's all that matters. I would steal if we really needed it. You and your hindrance of an honor,..."  
  
Ignoring the other's arguments, Illumi assesses, "All right. Since we have everything necessary except the luggage, we should buy some clothes. As for the money, I owe you... four favors. Either that or I'll just repay you everything after you add it up. You can even add interest - doesn't bother me. We should be near," he stops to look around, "Rikka City. It's a place to start." Looking back once more and seeing Alluka nowhere, they head toward the city, their wet socks sloshing around in their shoes.  
  
_Maybe my parents are coming to kill me for not finishing the assignment. Probably not - assassins don't usually use bombs. They're too noisy; we prefer to get personal. If this isn't them, they'll come soon. I just know it. It's a wonder my mother hasn't sent anyone after me yet._

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**A/N:** Chapter four ends,.. Where did Alluka go? Who bombed the train? Why? What are Illumi and Hisoka going to do now? Thanks for reading! Please review. Otherwise... Packing for college! Slightly different life on the way - living with a peer, sharing a room, having full personal responsibilities.. please don't make me take care of those bills,... TT Well, everyone has to, I guess. 


	5. Consequences

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in Hunter x Hunter is mine.  
**A/N:** Warning - may be a bit Out of Character. I apologize for posting irregularly.

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**Chapter 5: Consequences**

Kikyou paces the length of the room, the clack clack of her heels stabbing into the silence angrily. Does Silva not _care_ about their son? He said he would send someone after Illumi, but really - did he think about what he was saying? Who's there to send after the fourth most deadly assassin in the world after Grandpa, Silva and Kikyou herself? No one who is foolish enough to take the assignment will survive. Forget it - she will do something about this, on her own.

It's a patriarchal world, but men are the most unreliable creatures on the planet.

With that, she walks into her large closetful of luxurious clothes to take out the plainest set - a black outfit comfortable enough for rigorous activity. The yellow dress falls gracelessly to the carpeted ground. No clothes need to be packed; with her speed and skill, not even proud kleptomaniacs or catnappers can keep up. She selects from the well worn and heavy rack her favorite weapon - a double set of long retractable claws, matched with a ski mask for protection.

Now it's time to set off.

The forests and woods of the vast Zaoldyeck estates fly by beneath her skilled feet. She knows the territory around her well. Where would the fourth most able assassin in the world go, knowing that he would be under pursuit for death sentence in not completing an easy assignment - a defiance of everything he's been taught for over nineteen years? Since she trained him herself, he would obviously good at hiding. But _where_? The boy has no friends that she knows of. She trained him not to have friends. He may also be in disguise... It's all a matter of picking up the Nen trail. But first -

She taps into the frequency that she knows only her family uses. The tiny communication system on the the wrist of her right sleeve handily beeps to signify that it's been turned on. "Milluki."

"Yes, mama. What are your orders?"

"You know that your brother has insolently run off somewhere - track him. Hack quickly into that Hunter site and tell me the last place that he's been seen."

"Yes, mama. Meanwhile, may I interest you in some of my finest new products - light powerful explosives tha-"

"Milluki, I don't have _time_ for this. Now concentrate on your task, lest I punish you well." The fat boy shut up immediately. Sounds of quick typing are now passing through her light headset.

"Yorkshin. Then he went to... Mayhem Heights, except that the train never made it there. It was bombed, fell around Rikka City."

All right, Rikka City. Time to go.

Blurry colors... His head hurt. It's warm though. Voices; there seems to be two. One is light, quiet and scholarly. The other is almost a harsh masculine drawl. What are they saying?

"He's in stable condition. A minor physical injury to the head - there shouldn't be any brain damage. Where'd you say you found him?"

"Along Triumph Bridge... It was bombed this afternoon, along with the train that was on it. He must have fallen into the river and washed ashore because of that. The media isn't getting any leads as to how the whole thing happened, though."

"Politicians and terrorists these days. I never want to keep track of it all. As a doctor, my duty is to heal people no matter who it is. How near were you to the site?"

"Just on the river bank. When do you think he's going to wake up?"

"It's good that you weren't near enough to feel the impact. Otherwise, I'd have to check you, too. He might wake up maybe an hour from now."

Fair guess, but he's nearly awake already. So it's the same day that someone found him. He must have gotten separated from big brother and the magician-friend. He shouldn't open his eyes just yet. They might talk more, and he'd get more information that way. Maybe. The same voice speaks again.

"Kurapika, can you go into the supply room to see if there's shaver and some ointment? Since you gave him a wash up, I should change the wet bandages." Someone gets up to get the requested materials. His steps are light, almost inaudible. Moments pass. Nothing more can be gleaned by eavesdropping, probably.

It takes several more minutes for Alluka to adjust to the light. He's clearly in some sort of clinic. A man in a sort of white lab coat stands over him. Maybe he can get up... The doctor put a hand on him, forcing him to stay down. That's fine... The sudden shift of balance makes him nauseous again. The doctor has a kind but gruff face. Right now, the eyes behind the round glasses bear an impassively professional expression. The wave of nausea passes.

The person with the light footsteps returned. Girl or boy? Boy, he decided. The person's name is Kurapika, right? He hands the supplies to the other man and sits down on the empty bed that's beside Alluka's. As this happens, Doc retrieves his hand. "It's good that you're awake, though you still shouldn't move around too much. How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three. Where am I, and who are you?"

"You're in my clinic - and right now, I'm your doctor. You can call me Leorio. This is Kurapika." The blond lifts his head and smiles in greeting.

"When can I leave?"

"Well, aren't we in a hurry." This time, it's that girlish blond. "You were travelling with someone, weren't you? How old are you?"

"Eight. I was travelling with..." Should he give them this information? They don't seem to be malicious, though. "Big brother and Hisoka."

At the mention of the last name, Leorio and Kurapika turn to each other meaningfully.

It passes quickly. Then the gruff man goes back to shaving the wounded spot on his head, then applies ointment. He opens the bedside drawer for a roll of bandages, then starts wrapping it around Alluka's head. "All done. You rest up, now. We'll be back alter to give you food and change your medicine." With that, both older people leave the room.

They recognize Hisoka by name. Friend or foe? Alluka can't be sure what this means.

* * *

**A/N:** Chapter five up. Thanks to everyone who reviewed before; I appreciate it. How should Illumi respond when Kikyou finally catches up to them? What do you think? Please review. Thanks! 


	6. In the Wrong Hands

**Disclaimer:** I do own any aspect of Hunter x Hunter. This is solely for philosophical exploration. 

**A/N:** More characters. Kikyou hasn't arrived yet. But what of Gon and Killua?

* * *

In the Wrong Hands

The drink is a pretty shade of red, with bits of kiwi and a blueberry in it. Despite the mild bit of alchol, Gon is unfazed. Mito-san and grandmother do own a restaurant with an attached bar, after all. Grandmother used to let him try sips of it in the parlor, away from the watchful gaze of Mito-san. If she ever found out, he would be in big trouble. As good as the drink is, that is not the point. They are here to gather information about Ging, even though it's hard to be inconspicuous when they are also two twelve-year-olds sitting idly at a bar. This is one of the few that lacks any age limits. Killua drinks his vodka by the cupful, having been trained to withstand poisons much more potent. This is only a formality for him, a beverage taken more for the sweet taste than its intoxicating effects.

"Another cup please," the Zaoldyck requested. "Make that a double. This will be my last one." He is reluctant to stop enjoying these colorful drinks; however, people were eyeing them warily, not only because of their respectives ages, but because of his unusually high tolerance. "By the way, do many Hunters drink at this bar?"

While shaking up the combination of chemicals for his customer's alcohol, the bartender smiled, "Looking for someone, eh? Since this bar is open to everybody, Hunters ocassionally come here. It becomes a good rendevouz place for people exchanging information. It's the first time I've seen anyone this young walk into a bar though. Who are you looking for?"

Gon looks up from drinking his Fireblood. "Do you know where Ging is?" The bartender seems to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Just who are these kids, anyway? Their alcohol tolerance is not that of a civilian's, and they're asking about a name famous in Hunter circles. Could such young kids be Hunters too? Then again, with nen, one could prevent one's outer appearance from aging very easily. Perhaps they're not really prepubescent boys.

Finishing his mix of drinks, the bartender grabs a cup from behind him and pours the mix into it. "I'm sorry, no one knows where Ging is. Everyone who's a Hunter has heard his name at least once, since it's in all the history books about Hunters and their doings. My guess is that he's constantly moving, dealing with one project after another." The darker boy seems disappointed. "Why do you want to find him, anyway?"

Before Gon can burst out that Ging is his father, Killua intercepted. "We need his help. Many people do, probably," he shrugs. His pants-pocket vibrates, giving off a dull, muffled sound. He answers it. "Hello? This is Killua." Gon looks at him curiously, wondering who called. The bartender turns away to serve another customer who just arrived.  
"Kurapika? What's wrong? You rarely call us."

"That's.. strange. All right, we'll come right away."

"What was that about?"

"When we meet Leorio and Kurapika, we'll find out." They pay the bartender generously, with the standard fifteen percent tip. Walking out of the bar, Killua leads them toward the train station to buy tickets. Killua carelessly pays for them both.

"Wait, where are we going?"

"Those two need us in Rikka City." While they wait on the benches for the train to pull up to the platform, Killua briefs Gon about Kurapika finding a boy who sounds like Alluka, Killua's brother, near Triumph Bridge, which was bombed yesterday. Alluka mentioned that he was with Hisoka and Illumi, but Kurapika doesn't sense them in the near vicinity. Rikka City is a large, metropolitan place, after all. Now the doctor and the blonde have Alluka in custody, under heavy anesthetics, dulling his nen and hiding him to avoid trouble. Kurapika may be able to take on Hisoka, but definitely not he and Illumi both.

HXH

The doorbell rang. Leorio gets up to see their guests or patients, while Kurapika sits cross-legged on a bed to keep an eye on all the patients. Some of them have mental problems, so sleepwalking can become a problem. He makes sure that they don't hurt themselves or other people. Another trick he learned earlier is to impose friendly, amiable nen onto the patient, which relaxes him greatly.

"It's Killua and Gon!" Leorio tells in a loud whisper. After hushing the two kids, he walks them into the room. "Kurapika, let's talk in the other room. If anything happens, we'll probably hear it, so you don't necessarily need to be in the same room to keep track of them. Come on." They venture into the supply room, where all the bandages and medicine are kept. Going through, they head into another, a back room, with only one patient in it. There, they hold a small, secure meeting, lit only by a candle in the late evening. It was about ten. The patient stirs.

"So is this one of your brothers?" Kurapika points to the pale form on the bed. Leorio stands by, while Gon and Killua hold the candle above the patient and looks closer. "Well?"

"That's him all right." Shifting his weight, Killua thinks quietly, but audibly. "There's no real reason for Alluka to be out of Zaoldyck Mansion. He hasn't been trained because he's physically weaker than the rest of us. Usually, big brother takes care of him, but nowadays, according to Milluki, he doesn't come home often."

"Why do you think Hisoka's with them?" Leorio asks.

"They're buddies," Gon says. "I saw them work together during the Hunter Exam. Or at least they know each other to a certain extent."

"If either of them wants to kill him, he'd be dead already. But according to you, he probably just fell off the bridge." Killua looks at Kurapika expectedly.

"Right. When the bridge was bombed. But didn't you say that Illumi took care of this boy? Could it be possible that he's protecting him from something?" Kurapika suggests.

"Yes... But by that I just meant, feeding and clothing him. I really can't imagine big brother as nurturing. Besides, who would want to kill the baby of the family? Seriously, we Zaoldycks get a lot of enemies, understandably, but they usually go after father or grandfather. And if someone wants to wipe out Alluka, why not keep him in the mansion? The defenses there are extremely hard to get through, what with Mike and stubborn people like Kanaria."

Kurapika's brows furrow in thought. "Your brother doesn't seem to attack unless there's a reason, like money or future hassle. Hisoka may be random, but only for those he's interested in - like you." He nods at Gon. "We should just ask them. As long as Gon is not the one to ask, we should all be okay."

"Yea, why don't you do it?" Killua points out. Kurapika shakes his head, declining.

"That's all right. Hisoka got excited when fighting me during the Hunter Exam. You, however, know at least one of them better than any of us, and Hisoka doesn't really touch you." Killua watches as Gon and Leorio nod in agreement. "Then it's settled," finalized the Kuruta. Yea, make me do the heavy lifting, Killua sighs inwardly. Well, I suppose there's no avoiding it. They're mostly right.

"I'll call big brother after a good night's sleep. We don't know what will happen, so it's best if you all sleep too."

"Actually, I'll go back to watching the patients," says Leorio. Gon, Killua and Kurapika sit on the floor, tranquilizing their nen, and fall asleep rather quickly. Though they were never drunk, Gon and Killua did feel a bit tired. Outside, though it is the city, a few owls hoot. A bat's shadow crosses the face of the moon swiftly.

Though the entire meeting came and went in whispers, Alluka can't help overhearing. Though the medication was strong, it was weak compared to what big brother usually gives him. Killua doesn't seem to know much about big brother's intentions either, he reasons. They all seem wary of big brother and 'that man' Hisoka... He wonders why. Hisoka didn't seem that unfriendly to him. Though its good that the doctor and that Kurapika person turn out to be allies - of Killua, at least, if not of big brother.

* * *

Ending Notes: Leorio is a doctor here, but all of this doesn't really fit into the time-frame of the anime itself. Is anyone out of character? Not much fighting in this chapter, but I intend to put some in somewhere. After all, what are special abilities for if you don't fight? Please tell me what you think. 


	7. An Element of Foreboding

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any aspect of Hunter x Hunter. This is solely for philosophical exploration.

**A/N:** This story goes kind of slow in my mind. I'm going to write shorter chapters, I think.

* * *

An Element of Foreboding

From somewhere in the dark nothing, a small boy's voice whines. "Aniki, aniki, where are you?" He wanders off in a random direction, forgetting the lesson that one should stay put when lost to be found more easily. "Where are you!" he bawls. "Come get me, aniki! I'm scared! Aniki!" He runs off, fading as fast as he is running. For some odd reason, the surroundings were turning red. An unsettling, dark neon, murderous red.

Someone pokes him from behind. He turns to see Hisoka beckoning him with a card between two fingers. "If you want to find your brother, Illumi, follow me." The jester turns, his hair now colored blue, toward another direction, leading him somewhere. However, as he turns around to call Illumi again, he slowly morphs into mother, Kikyou Zaoldyck, in her signature yellow dress and cyborg laser eye.

"What kind of brother and trainer are you? How could you lose him? Losing a weakling like that... Losing your prey like that. No wonder Killua's supposed to be the heir even though you're so much older. He has more spirit, more style, and more talent than you'll ever have! Useless, worthless scum!" The taunts became howls of anger and screams of rage. "It's the isolation chamber for you, darling!" Hideous laughter follows.

Ugh, that laughter. He desperately hates that laughter, even more than the isolation chamber itself. It's immobilizing, hateful, all too familiar. Yet it still rings on, high pitched and unendurable, through the halls of his mind, loosening the threads of his sanity...

He wakes up with a thud. A dream, all a dream... and nothing more.

Bright. Too bright. Though for a moment he thought that this is the light at the end of the tunnel, his fingers feel around on the floor - a carpet - and prop him up to look more attentively as the setting he is in.

Ah. The hotel. Rays of the sun shine through the high windows, lighting the white-washed room and its relatively fancy rosewood furniture. He looks up at the sizable vanity mirror facing the bed that he just fell off of. Hisoka's still sleeping like a pig, and he didn't turn into mother Kikyou. He smooths his own rumpled hair and walks to the nearest set of drawers against the wall, on his right. Roughly changing into a navy hoody and black slacks, he thinks, "The search continues today."

The 'rrrrr' of his new cell phone alerts him to the bedside table. The old one got screwed up in river water, when they fell from - no, got pushed by Hisoka from - the bridge. He strides the few quick steps to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Yo. Horror of the Seven Seas."

"Killua. What do you want?"

"Alluka's here. With me - I mean, us. You come, and we give him to you, but in exchange, you get to tell us what this is all about." Illumi agrees. It shortens the process, to know luckily that Alluka ended up in familiar hands. Killua's friends though... They would be a little more tricky to deal with. He inwardly sighs. Giving them information is the easy part. He doesn't completely know, but can guess, what they're going to do with that information. Well, that's what bargaining is for.

With the location gotten and the deal agreed upon, he hangs up. "Hisoka." He jabs the sleeping figure in the side. No response. "Clown, wake up." Hisoka doesn't hear him. As opposed to simply pushing him off the bed, Illumi spikes his nen level to an angry, brainwashing pitch. The jester's eyes shoot open, reflexively and quickly defending himself. When the assassin stops it, a grumpy joker runs his hand through his own red hair and glares daggers at Illumi.

"Such a friendly wake up call. What is it?"

"We found Alluka."

"What? When?"

"Let's go."

* * *

Ending Notes: What will Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio do when they find out everything about the situation? Kikyou will make an appearance the next chapter. Your feedback gives me great ideas, so please please review! 


	8. Beast On the Prowl

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any aspect of Hunter X Hunter. This is written solely for philosophical exploration.

**A/N:** Nen tracking is an interesting, workable concept. There's also a new side of Miss Kikyou to be seen here.

* * *

Beast On the Prowl

Nightlife in Rikka City is a corrupt and madeup, albeit still rather beautiful, mass of young flesh. The lights flash by knowingly, for this place is far from innocent. Though admired for the vast mountains and valleys surrounding the landscape, it has a different kind of wild side during the ungodly hours of the morning. Pity that she has never been able to enjoy any of it.

As if Kikyou Isabel Zaoldyck will bother with the likes of these trash. The search for her dear Illumi and other child is going well. She doesn't necessarily care for the brat, really - he doesn't add to the family business, being more fragile than her four other children. But Illumi, yes Illumi... He is excellent. There are almost no traces. The nen track is weak, presumably because he was using Zetsu. She almost wants to brag to the entire world about it.

He must have used his pins to change his appearance, like he does on those undercover missions. No one has seen anyone who looks like him. Otherwise, having Milluki hack into all the hotel records around the area, she is told he found only one Hisoka Z. Maud. Well, Hisoka is a pretty common name.

This Quenyan pseudo-last name, however, sparks her suspicion. As far as she knows, no one from Quenya can possibly enter Rikka at this point; immigration and traveling is cut off due to political strife. You should pay attention to the news, stranger, she thinks triumphantly.

Room 649, so Milluki says, of the Freeman love Hotel. At least he's not posing as a tourist with such a name. She wonders whether he is a terrorist. That will be wonderful; she can use the excitement. She has been cooped up forever in Kukuru Mountain, attending to the needs of her hubby Silva Zaoldyck, after all. She will pay this Hisoka back for distracting her son from his rightful duties.

Walking casually into the luxurious hotel, she grabs a man who is busily clicking data into his palm pilot. She does her best to try to act desperate, like a whore. It's been so many years since she did some killing of her own, sometimes this way. She needs someone to ward off the pesky security guards in front of the elevators.

Stroking his face and neck, she presses him against a piller with her own body, letting him swoon in her perfume. "Hmm..." Releasing a false groan, she states, "Would you care to _entertain_ me, tonight?" To be convincing, she even reaches down between his slacks to give a gentle squeeze. He checks her out, assenting almost immediately. Men. When it comes to sex, they become pushovers.

After he books a room, they stroll down a hallway to find it. Rounding a corner and seeing no one in sight, she handchops the poor sucker's neck. Then she takes the key from him, drags him to the designated door to open it, and throws him in. Trash. Now, where is Illumi?

Here. This is the right room. She clicks a claw through the card slot; there is a number pad beside it. "Milluki, send me the custodial number keys to the rooms in this hotel." 46709394. Got it. She opens the door silently. Creeping around the walls, she peeks in. Listen.

Not a sound. Not even a perfectly hidden Zetsu. Curses, they left. Someone did live here, though.

She sticks a claw cleanly into the sheets. Some of it, at least, smells like Illumi. Having her nen look for other nen, she finds it. Transforming type, this Hisoka. There. My Illumi. Manipulative type. She knows it's his nen signature because of its subtleness. Kikyou starts tracking the familiar nen, like police would track someone using DNA.

Meanwhile, three kids, a teenager, an assassin and a maniac are just starting to negotiate.

* * *

Ending Notes: Yes yes yes. I'm just stalling. Who would you like to see fight the most? Granted, I've already decided the fight pairings. So tell me, since you've read this far, how would you like the fight scene to be done? Any suggestions are welcome. 


End file.
